-
Choosing CDC material
CDC, or cul-de-canard, is the soft, fluffy material that comes from around the preening gland of a duck or goose. Despite its fluffy nature, CDC really does float pretty well, and a lot of folks use it when tying emergers and the like. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53edv9ccCpM Above, Tim Flagler of Tightline Productions talks about the differences between…
-
Fly tying: Half-pint Midge
Here in the West, early spring is pretty tough to differentiate from late winter—many of our fabled trout streams will still be lined with snow for weeks to come. And that means, despite some warmer temperatures that will keep the ice out of our fly-rod guides, winter fishing is still the name the of the…
-
Fly tying: Choosing the right bead for the right hook
/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/blog/Screen-Shot-2019-03-28-at-11.13.06-AM.png Many—if not most—mondern nymph patterns use beads in their tying recipes, either for added weight to get a fly down or for aesthetics. Some flies use beads to imitate little air bubbles used by emerging bugs, and some flies use colored beads to imitate various subsurface food sources, like fish eggs, for instance. Matching…
-
Fly tying: Last Chance Cripple Hendrickson
As I watched Tim Flagler tie the Last Chance Cripple Hendrickson, I inadvertantly cringed at the language used in the video below. Fly tying may the last refuge for the antiquated term, "cripple." Meant to imitate a mayfly that, for some reason or another, is struggling to break loose of the water's surface film while…
-
Fly tying: Managing materials
Crystal flash and tinsel are great for tying flies—particularly patterns that need to attract attention, like baitfish patterns, Woolly Buggers and other streamers. But handling those shiny materials can be a real pain. I can't count the times I've found strands of crystal flash that have managed to make it through the laundry cycle and turn…
-
Fly Tying: Egan’s Red Dart
Yes, it's still January, and here in Idaho, most of spring's upcoming runoff is either stacked a couple feet deep along our rivers, or it's yet to fall as still more snow. But when the weather does warm up, and that snow begins to melt, many anglers will be looking for the ideal high-water fly…
-
Fly tying: Folding hackle
Tying collars for streamers and salmon or steelhead flies can be a bit tricky, largely becuase saddle hackle is sometimes hard to work with. Video of Folding HackleAbove, Tim Flagler from Tightline Media demonstrates a great way to fold hackle back so when you go to tie in the collar, it's perfect every time. —…
Category